Cup dispensers



Sept. 11, 1962 H. Mom-ARA CUP DISPENSERS Filed Jan. 2l, 1960 IN V EN TOR Hou/ /l/lo/QrA/QA H/,s A Tram/z xs.

2f "TEPQ 4. L"- 2 i.. III" States 'I'his invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cup dispensers and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

The invention is especially designed and arranged for incorporation in beverage dispensing machines which generally are coin-operated for dispensing mixed beverages such as carbonated drinks and the like. In such machines there is arranged a cup dispenser containing a predetermined number of cups arranged in stack formation. As the steps occupied by the cups and the mechanism for dispensing the same is limited, only a certain number of cups can be arranged within the machine.

An object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby at least two columns of stacks of cups can be positioned in the machine together with mechanism which is operable when one stack of cups is exhausted to automatically shift the other stack in position to be dispensed, thus doubling the capacity of cups contained within the machine.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention showing the parts thereof in different positions;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. l.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. In this connection, an enclosure is indicated at 10. This enclosure may be mounted in the vending machine in any suitable and convenient manner. It comprises a back wall 11 having formed ytherein a pair of slots 12 spaced with respect to each other and extending diagonally across the back wall. A cup holder is indicated at 13, which in the present instance comprises a back wall 14 and parallel side walls 16. The back wall 14 carries spaced pins 16 which extend through the slots 12 and are retained in Slidable connection with the back wall 11 by enlarged heads 17. The lower end portion of the cup holder `13 has an open bottom 18. Such cup holder in width is equal to approximately one-half of the width of the enclosure 10, and in its initial operative position, the cup holder 13 is positioned within the enclosure within the left-hand section thereof, as viewed in FIG. l. In such position, the open bottom 11 is adjacent an inclined plate 19 which, when the cup holder 13 is moved from the left-hand portion of the enclosure 10 to the right-hand portion thereof as viewed in FIG. l0, will direct the stack of cups S contained within the cup holder 13, to the right-hand portion of the enclosure 10.

To the back wall 11 is mounted a bracket 20 which is substantially L-shaped to provide an arm 21 spaced from the back wall 11. This arm 21 carries a solenoid 22 which has a plunger pin 23 which normally projects outwardly and bears against the adjacent wall 24 of the cup container 13 whereby to releasably hold the cup holder 13 arent Patented Sept. 11, 1962 ICC in the left-hand position within the enclosure 101. An

opening 2'5 is provided in -the back wall 11 and through this opening 25 the plunger pin 23 projects.

In the right-hand side of the enclosure 10 as viewed in FIG. l, adjacent the bottom portion thereof, is an elongated vertical slot 26 through which projects an actuating spring finger 27 of an electric switch 28. This switch 28 is connected in a power source in which the solenoid 22 is likewise connected. When the switch 28 is closed, the solenoid 22 will become energized and withdraw the plunger iinger 23 to release the cup holder 13 for free gravitation from the left-hand position of the enclosure 10 to the right-hand position as shown in FIG. 2.

In operation, cups are stacked in the cup holder 13 as well as within the enclosure 10 between the side wall 11 of such enclosure and the cup holder 13. In such arrangement of parts, the plunger pin 23 will be in projected position to releasably hold the cup holder 13 in the position shown in FIG. 1.

The cup holder 13 will be held in this position until all of the cups have been exhausted from the enclosure 10 between the cup holder 13 and the adjacent side wall 11. When the last cup, indicated at S', is removed from the aforesaid enclosure, the switch 27 will close to energize the solenoid 22, to withdraw the plunger nger 23 from holding position with respect to the cup holder 13, at which time the cup holder will freely gravitate to the right-hand portion of the enclosure .10 with the cups in the cup holder in position to be dispensed from the e11- closure. In the bottom wall of the enclosure 10 is provided a dispensing opening 29 which is of a size to frictionally hold the cups in position until dispensed in the usual manner, well understood in the art.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have provided an arrangement whereby the capacity of cups in a beverage vending machine is doubled. The operating mechanism for the same is substantially simple and the invention may be incorporated in any conventional type of machine requiring the dispensing of a cup. In fact, such machine may be merely a cup dispenser, as distinguished from a beverage vending machine.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such Variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire `to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A cup dispensing mechanism comprising (a) an enclosure Within which adjacent parallel stacks of cups are arranged in a vertical plane,

(b) said enclosure having a bottomy wall providing at one end portion thereof a dispensing `opening located beneath one of said stacks of cups,

(c) a movable holder vertically positioned in the enclosure at one side thereof and within which the other stack of cups is arranged, said holder being movable by gravity from one side of the enclosure to an opposite side thereof to transfer the stack of cups in said holder to said opposite side of said enclosure when the stack of cups in said opposite side of said enclosure has been withdrawn from said enclosure,

(d) means for guiding said movement of said holder,

(e) means for releasably holding said holder against said movement,

(f) means operative upon withdrawal of all ofthe cups from said other side of the enclosure to actuatesaid holding means to release said holder for said movement to said other side of the enclosure,

(g) and a fixed delivery plate at said one side of said enclosure beneath the stack of cups in said holder and inclined toward said dispensing opening to cooperate With said holder to direct said stack of cups within said holder to a position in said opposite side of said holder above said dispensing opening.

2. A cup dispensing mechanism comprising (a) an enclosure within which adjacent parallel stacks of cups are arranged in a vertical plane,

(b) said enclosure having a bottom wall providing at one end portion thereof a dispensing opening located beneath one of said stacks of cups,

(c) a movable holder vertically positioned in the er1- closure at one Side thereof and Within which the other stack of cups is arranged, said holder being movable by gravity from one side of the enclosure to an opposite side thereof to transfer the stack of cups in said holder to said opposite side of said enclosure when `the stack of cups in said opposite side of said enclosure has been withdrawn from said enclosure,

(d) slot and roller means for guiding said movement of said holder,

(e) electronic means for releasably holding said holder against said movement,

(f) normaily ineffective switch means operative upon withdrawal of al1 of the cups from said other side of the enclosure to actuate said electronic means to release said holder for said movement to said other side of the enclosure,

(g) and a fixed delivery plate at said one side of said enclosure beneath the stack of cups in said holder and inclined toward said dispensing opening to cooperate with said holder to direct said stack of cups within said holder to a position in said opposite side of said holder above said dispensing opening.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

